Railroad tie



Jan. 1,v l19.24 1,479,260

L.. D. SPRATT RAILROAD TIE Filed Jan. 8, 192:5

Patented Jan. l, 1924.

vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

L. n. sPRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNoR or ONE-HALF To cilainna's"scTILOr-` l FELDT, or CHICAGQILLINOIS. y n Vf RAILROAD TIE.

Application led January 8,u 1923. SerialfNo. 611,337.

To all 'whom t may concern: Y

Y Be it known that I, L. D. SPRATna citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andY State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Ties, of whichfthe following'is a description. f l l My invention relates kto improvements in railroad`r ties, and more particularly to metallic ties adapted to be substituted for the usual wooden ties.v

One of the objects of my invention isto provide means cooperating with my metallic tie for resiliently supporting the load to per- J5 mit the vertical movement of the rails.

Another object of my invention is to provide a metallic tie of extremely lightconstruction and which Vshall be Aextremely strong and durable to serve the purpose for which itis intended. Y Y

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to lthose skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. v f

In the drawings, wherein vlike reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, v .Y

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a pair of rails supported by my improved tie; Y Y

Fig.` 2 is a side elevation ofthe same showing the rails in section; Y

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken substantlally on line'343 ofF ig. 2;` Y p Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofa portion of the tie with the rail and cover removed;

Fig,v 5 is al1-enlarged sectional'view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. l; Y

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 6 6 lof Fig. '2;v Y Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing the manner of securing the cover to the tie; and

Fig. 8 is a detail of a sleeve used in connection with the securing means shown in Fig. 7.

In the drawings,` wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, there is shown a pair of rails 1 of any suitable size or shape and having a flanged base 2. The ties each comprise a 55 pair of hollow box structures 3 pre erably operating guide of elongated shape,

to rust the material ofthe plates, this con- 'r struction also serving to imparta certain Ydegree of y*flexibility ,of resiliency to the tie. The material used in making thetie may be such as is desired and preferably metallic.4

A cover 5 is adapted to closetheopen Vtop side of each box structure 3, said `cover having its edges flanged at right anglesV thereto as at 6, so asto slidably engage-the vertical walls to the box 3 and preventA any liquids from working their wayin between the cover and box. By of the side plates 4 lower than the top edges of the boxes, the flanges 6-of the covers need not be notched to accommodate said plates. Carried by the box and projectingintothe interior Vthereof are one or more pins 7 adapted to receive coil springs S'thereonand form uides therefor, Thefree end of each of `sai pins is provided with an` axial recess 9 ltherein to receive the free endof a copin 10,r as will be hereinafter described. I y 1 i Each of the pins 8 is 'arranged immediately below the points where the railsv lare to be attached to the 'cover so that they may resilientlyY support the load on the rails. One orv more lead4 springs V11, carrying pins 10 intermediate their ends, are adapted vto be arranged in each of the boxes,.said1ipins slidably engageable in the recesses 9 of the pins 7 said leaf springs supplementing the action of the springs 8 in supporting the load andV bearing on the bottom wall'of the box and against the cover plate. A single wide leaf spring has been shown'but itis to be understood that two or more narrower leaf springs may be substituted therefor.

Said cover and box are provided with registering bolt holes therein to receive bolts 12 spaced at suitable intervals on the there@ is no open atltheir tops,land 'i spaced `apart at opposite ends of a pair of Y dental rotation of tie. 'Phe-bolts .are k,preferably flanged .as show-nffand 'sle've'sl-B, inV the.. `form f re silient lock Washers are adapted to encircle the: shanlrs -th,r9f t0 abutl theubox 3 and th'heaa ernsten s@ that an, or, the. belts when tightened will adjustably space the cover and box apar-t t u sleeve 13 also tends to prevent the accithe; bolt in; the hole ,because the split ends of said sleeve will bite into theimatrial o'-jthe ybox yandboltf to normally hold-. saidl'fparts against` relative rotation.V` .gasketA may be J interposed between2`t-he;.cover and theheadwof the bolt, to L prevent i injurysto. the parts, vavoid 1 consta-ntjars'v;rednce; noise.etel V .1 Y .Y ViIt-is` obvious thatV when ythet'load passes overY theft-ie,'..the coil: andleaf springs will permit'the downward movement ot' the coversirelativeto theboxand'that as soon asthe load has `movedibeyond thetie the springs willilift thecovers yto their normal position.V Y v Clips .13 aroused Vto hol'd'the yrail in place on the tie,;.said'clips .each having an elongated slot or; aperture 14C. therethrough tdslidably receive; a bolt l5 insertible into athreaded1-`aperture in the tie.,i In. order toprevent theirailsirom spreading, a, rib 16 Y. may .'be provided zon; the covers at each of'lthe Vrail-receiving .-points,V said: ribs .being parallelaand adapted to bear. against .the outenside; oflthe lrail iii-anges. The. driving wheel iia-nges: of the :train lwill engage with andtpre'ven-tnthe railsironifmoving inwardly towardioneanother.Y It is to benoted that the.''spacingi'betw'eeny the rails is yconstant at all times, irrespectiveof fwhether. ,the tie is flexed' oiiiot,l so: that the yrails. always act together. r

HavingA .thus describedmy. invention, it is Yobvious that ry various immaterial modificationsmay bemade inthe same :without de-v parting .'rom z the 1 spirit of invention hence I@ do notV wislii to be understood as limiting Ymyself to the exaetl form, Yconstruction, arrangement and combinationv of. parts herein shown land described or usesnientionedfrh.4

A 'What 4l claim as-v new s and desire to secure byLetters Patentfis: f

.1. Ay rail .tie comprising 4a pair ofv side plates' spaced apart: throughoutand -open at the'vixipv andzbottom, receptacles vat the ends a little distance. fille.l

boxes,

Witnesses.;

of?. said plates, .coversvr for.. saidf receptacles,

means i'or" securing a..rail. to each of said y covers, and means i'or yieldably maintaining said covers againstseating on said recep- 'tacles V2. rail'tie comprising a pair of boxes open `at theirY tops, side plates spaced apart and connected at leach end to one of said -a.-coveror-each of said boxes, covers being independent of each other, means for securing a. rail. on each` of said covers, and means-for yieldably maintaining saidfcovers. againstseating onfthe box.A

Y 3. A rail tiefcompr-isinga pair .ofboxes said open at theirY tops, parallel E. side platesintegralr'espectively with/teach side` of-` said boxes and connectedatfreaeh,end thereto, said 'plates spaced; apartrthroughont, ya cover slidably; engageable with the vertical f walls yiel'dably A,

of leach ofrsaid boxes, means@for.E maintaining said covers againstfseating on saidk boxes, and meansptorggsecnringsaid boxes .andrcovers together.Y jl 4; A rail tiey comprising a v.pair otv-,boxes open atv theirtops and hav-ing .boundingside walls Vand'bottom walls, a pairA of plates securedat each,.end,to-.said side-.walls and spaced apart. throughoutuso as `to havel an Op ening therethrough frana,y end jto.t end ,f f -a cover for each of said b,oxes,nieans T:tor de- Y tachably securing said covers in placelnor- Inally above the. .topso'f i the, boxes, andresilient means; :tor.yielcflably,r preventing downward movement of said lcovers.

5. ,Ara'il tie compris 1nga pair of boxes u open at their tops and,havingbounding sidesrand bottoms, al pair-i of,i plates secured at .'eaoh end tolsaid .,side'zwalls below thetop edges thereof and spaced apartlthronghout their length'fa coveriforeachfof said boxes slidably. engageable with thereof, means for detach having.. a f flange: the vertical walls Y ably securing. saidfcovers finzplacenormally above the top f edgesof f said boxeswandj-re-Y sil'ient.` .means for yieldably preventing downward seating movementV ofgsaidcovers.

'In testimony whereof, I, have hereunto signed my `naine in the presence or" Ytwo sub;-` scribing witnesses.

L, fn.. siennirr;

ido 

